Auburn, NY — The Crosscutters three-game win streak came to an end, as the Cutters fall on the road to the Auburn Doubledays by a final score of 5-4.
Williamsport has received outstanding starting pitching through their first eight games of the season, but starter Felix Paulino ran into a bump in the road, as he suffered his first loss of the 2016 season.
The Doubledays struck for the games first run in the bottom of the 1st inning thanks to an RBI single Angelo La Bruna that brought home Daniel Johnson from third base. Johnson had opened up the inning with a triple to deep right-center off of Paulino.
The first inning run was the first allowed by a Cutters starter since June 21st in Lowell against the Spinners.
The first three batters of the Cutters 2nd inning reached as Darick Hall opened up the top of the 2nd inning by being hit by a Wilber Pena pitch, followed by back-to-back singles from Luis Encarnacion and Arquidemez Gamboa to load the bases with no outs.
Jose Antequera was able to bring home Darick Hall with a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game at 1-1. Juan Luis followed up the Antequera sacrifice fly with a base hit into right that caromed off of pitcher, Wilber Pena’s, glove allowing Encarnacion and Gamboa to score giving Williamsport a 3-1 lead heading to the bottom of the 2nd.
Not impressed by the three-run top half of the 2nd, Auburn would answer with a four-run 2nd inning in the bottom half against Felix Paulino.
After a Nick Bank’s fly out, David Kerian drew a walk against Paulino, followed by a single off the bat of Oliver Ortiz that put runner’s on 1st and 2nd with one out. Jake Jeffries delivered a two-out double down the left field line that plated Kerian to make it 3-2.
Daniel Johnson scored Luis Vilorio with an infield sigle to 2nd base, but the throw from Jose Antequera would get away from Luis Encarnacion allowing Jake Jefferies to score, giving the Doubledays a 4-3 lead with two outs in the inning.
Angelo La Bruna capped the scoring with an RBI single to center, scoring Daniel Johnson to extend Auburn’s lead to 5-3.
The Cutters were able to get a run back in the top of the 4th when Enmanuel Garcia’d ground out to short brought home Luis Encarnacion to cut the lead to one at 5-4. That would be the last run scored for either team as the bullpens would take it the rest of the way.
Williamsport threatened in the top of the 9th inning, getting a pair of runners into scoring position with one out, but they were unable to get the tying run home from 3rd base against Doubledays closer, Angher Cespedes.
In the bottom of the 5th inning, Auburn loaded the bases with three-straight singles off of Felix Paulino. Pat Borders made the move to the bullpen, calling out lefty Scott Harris to find a way out of the jam, and that is what Harris did.
Harris got Nick Burns to pop out to 1st for the 1st out and proceeded to strikeout David Kerian and Oliver Ortiz to leave the bases loaded and the game still at 5-4 in favor of Auburn. Harris finished the night with two shutout innings of work and those three strike outs.
Kenny Koplove entered in the 7th inning, working a shutout inning despite allowing a pair of walks. Koplove recorded his first strikeout of 2016 in a Cutters uniform.
Tyler Hallead worked a scoreless 8th inning of relief, working around a one-out single by Oliver Ortiz by enducing an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play.
Williamsport remains on the road as they continue their six-game road trip, with the first stop being against the Auburn Doubledays at Falcon Park. Bailey Falter makes his second start of 2016 for the Williamsport Crosscutters as he will be opposed by Yonathan Ramirez, who will be making his second start for the Auburn Doubledays. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.
Cutter Carvings – The Cutters return home on July 1st as they take on the Batavia Muckdogs at BB&T Ballpark…The Crosscutters bullpen has only allowed 1 earned run over their last 24.1 innings of work…The Cutters remain winless on the road at 0-5…The five runs scored against Paulino were the most scored against a Cutters starter since June 21st…
